asked the Minister for Agriculture if he aware of recent lower prices for pigs; and if he considers that it would be advisable not to restrict the export of pigs so as to offset this tendency.

The answer to the first part of the question is no. The export of live pigs, while now subject to licensing, has not been restricted.

Would the Minister not agree that the price of pigs is fluctuating and for the past couple of months has been going down rather than up?

The records do not show that. As a matter of fact, the prices quoted for the past two weeks are higher than they have been for some time.

Conceding what the Minister said is true, will he not accept that there are fluctuations in price? Prices, shall we say, two or three months ago were considerably higher than to-day?

They cannot fluctuate below the guaranteed price for the three grades.

Always provided the farmer gets the guaranteed price, which he does not.

There is no question about his getting the guaranteed price. It is not in doubt.

Perhaps the Minister would be kind enough to enlarge on that and say how he can be sure the farmer will get the grade A price?

When the pig is graded, if he gets grade A special, then 245/0d. is the basis on which he must be paid.

Who does the grading?

The factory and, recently, the Bacon Commission have employed a staff to supervise that grading. I hope this matter of casting suspicions on the way grading is carried out is now ended.